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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23348551">is this path ours to make</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohallows/pseuds/ohallows'>ohallows</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>femslash week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Healing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:28:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,773</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23348551</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohallows/pseuds/ohallows</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Saira has been to the temple of Aphrodite many times, ever since she was a little girl. It’s well known in Cairo that they have the best healers, and they’ve always had a soft spot for the Tahans. Aziza and Hamid have definitely spent the most time there; both had been rather wild children, usually goading each other into getting hurt somehow, and then Hawaa lecturing them all the way to the temple. Saira tagged along sometimes, if only because it was nice to see people other than her being talked sternly at. (Hawaa never raised her voice at them, not really; it was always worse to hear her disappointed than actually angry.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azu/Saira al Tahan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>femslash week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1672582</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>RQG Femslash Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>is this path ours to make</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>au where azu is in cairo for longer than a few days and hamid is still back in like idk london </p><p>i am absolutely projecting my love of being surrounded by mountains onto saira i went to arizona and california for like 2 weeks once and i still think about it GOD it’s just so nice</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Saira has been to the temple of Aphrodite many times, ever since she was a little girl. It’s well known in Cairo that they have the best healers, and they’ve always had a soft spot for the Tahans. Aziza and Hamid have definitely spent the most time there; both had been rather wild children, usually goading each other into getting hurt somehow, and then Hawaa lecturing them all the way to the temple. Saira tagged along sometimes, if only because it was nice to see people other than her being talked sternly at. (Hawaa never raised her voice at them, not really; it was always worse to hear her disappointed than actually angry.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The point is, Saira’s been going to the temple for as long as she can remember, and the Tahans have been getting the best treatment there for even longer. So, she knows most of the staff there, and she knows exactly who she needs to go see when she accidentally trips over one of the twins and her shoulder begins smarting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Healer Fairhands, please,” Saira asks as she goes up to the desk. The gentleman sitting there, a tired-looking gnome, seems quite young; if she had to guess, he’s a new acolyte, just starting out his training with the church. He doesn’t…. well, doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>effuse </span>
  </em>
  <span>the same loving and healing aura that the rest of the paladins and clerics do, not yet. She glances over at the name tag on the desk - Hasan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Name,” he asks, grabbing a sheet of paper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Saira,” she responds, leaving off the last name. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t question it, and writes the name down. “Healer Fairhands is in with another patient, would you like to wait or would you like to be seen by one of our acolytes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saira chews on her lip, conflicted for a moment. Healer Fairhands is one of, if not </span>
  <em>
    <span>the, </span>
  </em>
  <span>most talented healer in the world, and Saira has always gone to see him anytime she’s needed anything. But… well, her work is piling up back at her office, and she doesn’t really have time to wait, and it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>only a minor injury. She really doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>need </span>
  </em>
  <span>to see him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One of the acolytes is fine, thank you,” Saira says, and Hasan nods, writing down a few more notes. Saira waits for him to finish, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t take long before he stands, leading Saira in through the door. He sits her down at a table, looking her over carefully. Saira sits as still as possible as he makes a few considering noises, casting a few diagnostic spells over her. He jots a few things down on a sheet of paper and taps the pen against the table as he hums quietly. Saira waits, patient as always, legs swinging off the edge of the table she’s sat on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, Ms. Tahan, I’ll get… one of our best students to help,” he says graciously, and Saira nods in thanks. He leaves, as silent as a shadow apart from the gentle brush of his robes against the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saira sits there patiently, holding her left arm tight to her body. It doesn’t take long for there to be a quiet knock at the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come in!” she calls, and the door pushes open, and Saira’s heart skips a beat as one of the most striking women she’s ever seen comes into the room. She can feel herself starting to blush, and quickly tries to control it as the healer comes into the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Ms…” the healer says, trailing off as she looks over at Saira. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just Saira, please,” she says, and the healer nods, marking something on the sheet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Saira,” she says, and the smile she gives her makes Saira heart beat a bit faster. “I am Azu.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Healer Azu, it’s lovely to meet you,” Saira says, extending a hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, just call me Azu,” she laughs, and reaches out. Her hand positively dwarfs Saira’s, but she still gives an enthusiastic shake. “Now, what is the problem?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saira gestures at her left arm. “I tripped over one of my brothers when they were playing and landed on my shoulder - it didn’t hurt immediately, but now I can barely lift it above chest level.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Azu says, and reaches out. “Do you mind if I touch your arm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saira shakes her head. “No, by all means.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azu carefully takes her arm in hers and manipulates it a little bit, bending it this way and that. She asks Saira if a few of the motions hurt, and Saira answers honestly as Azu continues to gently move her arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forgive me,” Saira asks, breaking the silence, “I normally know all the healers here at the temple, but you’re unfamiliar to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve just arrived a few days ago,” Azu explains, doing one more maneuver before bringing Saira’s arm back to a resting position. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? What brought you to Cairo?” Saira asks, and Azu’s eyes light up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Aphrodite temple back in my small village in Kenya chose me to study under Healer Fairhands. He’s an incredibly talented healer, and I’m so honored to be learning from the best,” she says, beaming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome to Cairo, then. You’ll get used to all the sand,” Saira says, and Azu gives a small chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We had some sand in the mountains, but not much. It’s amazing to see how… flat everything is, here, apart from the pyramids.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saira nods in understanding. She’s traveled so much with her family, whether on holiday or business trips with her father (until she left to join Apophis’ office) and, as much as she loves Cairo, being surrounded by mountain ranges in the distance is her favorite. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azu sets her arm down and jots a few more notes down on the sheet of paper. “Your shoulder seems to only be a small sprain - nothing’s broken. It will be a quick and easy heal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She comes back to the table Saira’s sat on and takes her arm again. Her hands are warm, and Saira is glad that she’s looking at the arm rather than at her </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely </span>
  </em>
  <span>red face. “This will feel a little strange,” she murmurs, and then a wave of soothing magic runs over her arm. Saira shivers, and the magic instantly vanishes. “I’m sorry, was that uncomfortable?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no,” Saira quickly reassures. “It was fine, really. Just felt… different. A nice different.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Azu says, smiling, and if Saira didn’t know better, she’d think Azu was blushing as well. Neither of them say anything for a moment, eyes locked, and then Azu clears her throat, taking a step back. “Well, your arm is mostly fine. It is nothing more than a small sprain, so I can get you fixed up very easily, if you’ll permit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saira nods, and Azu steps back, taking her left hand in hers. Her wrist looks small, nearly delicate in Azu’s hand, but Azu is gentle and careful as she pulls on the arm until it’s laying straight. She shuts her eyes and murmurs a quiet prayer to Aphrodite, and a pink glow begins to creep it’s way up Saira’s forearm and upper arm until it reaches her shoulder. It’s warm, and soothing, and feels more… </span>
  <em>
    <span>personal</span>
  </em>
  <span>, more caring than anytime Healer Fairhands has healed her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pink glow fades slowly, but the pain vanishes in an instant, and Azu carefully releases Saira’s arm. She tests it, rotating her shoulder and her elbow and her wrist, stretching it in a number of different directions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does it feel?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Amazing,” Saira says, unable to keep the grin off her face as she holds her arm up. “Thank you, it feels like it was never hurt in the first place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wonderful!” Azu says, holding her hands to her chest. “I’m happy to hear it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saira lets her arm fall back to her side and watches Azu add a few more notes to the paper. She’s still glowing a faint pink, and Saira doesn’t think she’s ever seen this suited to the temple of Aphrodite, doesn’t think she’s seen anyone look this beautiful in the bright pink light. The sounds of pen on paper scratching stop, and Azu looks up at Saira, who becomes immediately aware that she’s unabashedly staring at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there -“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like to get dinner?” Saira asks, a rush of breath and nerves and hope, and Azu pauses for a moment, blinking over at her. “Sorry, I - that was too forward of me, wasn’t it? And, gods, you’re working, I’m - I was - completely misreading the situation, I’m so -“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d love to,” Azu cuts her off, reaching forward and grabbing Saira’s hands in hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Saira asks, feeling the hope and excitement blossom in her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I would - it would be my honor,” she says, and squeezes Saira’s hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you… free tonight?” she asks, and Azu beams, nodding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be free in… only five hours, if you’d like to meet outside the temple,” Azu says, and Saira nods in agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Until tonight, then,” she says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Until tonight,” Azu repeats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them speak for a moment as they look at each other, and Saira finds herself leaning forward, slightly, until Azu pulls back, clutching the stack of papers to her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m - I am looking forward to it,” she says, biting her lip. Saira smiles back, and then Azu gives her a little bow and leaves the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saira isn’t far behind. She grabs up her belongings and waits until she’s sure Azu must have disappeared down the hallway. As she leaves, she can feel the blush overtaking her cheeks and has to pause for a second, smiling widely as she covers her mouth. Gods, Aziza and Hamid would mock her until the </span>
  <em>
    <span>end of time </span>
  </em>
  <span>if they were here right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As it is, she can see Hasan giving her a slightly concerned look, so Saira composes herself, brushing down the front of her dress and fixing her hijab. She schools her face into a confident, casual mask, and strolls out the front door, saying a calm goodbye to Hasan as she goes. He waves after her, looking a bit flummoxed, but Saira ignores him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>
    <span>should </span>
  </em>
  <span>go back to the office for the rest of the afternoon, but she’s gotten all the most important work done already and she can just work a little longer tomorrow. Apophis doesn’t really keep track of these things anyway, as long as Saira gets her work done. He won’t mind. So… the paperwork can wait. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She has a date to get ready for. </span>
</p><p> </p>
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